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No. 6l4,760. Patented No v. 22, I898. a. F. RICHTER.

TUNSILOTUME.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet L (No Model.)

INVENTOR Qushzzrfl Ric/Her- WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS (No Model.)

Fly;

G. F. RICHTER. TONSILOTOME.

(Application flled Apr. 1, 1898.)

THE uonms wzrsns co. F'NOTD-LITHQ. WASHNGTON u. c;

Patented Nov. 22, I898.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ATTORNEYS U ITED STATES PATENT rmcia.

GUSTAV F. RICHTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TONSILOTOME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,760, dated November 22, 1898. Application filed April 1, 1898. Serial No. 676,129. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUsTAv F. RICHTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of NewYork,have invented new and useful Improvements in Tonsilotomes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a new and improved tonsilotome the parts of which can be readily assembled and dismounted, so as to be readilyprepared for operation and capable of being subjected to thorough antiseptic and aseptic treatment. This object is accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the instrument, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 1, showing the fork as having been moved. Fig. 4 is a View like Fig. 1, showing the instrument as having cut or operated. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the fork. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a member. Fig. 7 is an inner view of another member. Fig. 8 is a section alongcc 00, Fig. 1.

The tonsilotome comprises members 1 and 2, having the respective loop-shaped parts 3 and 4. One or both of these loops can be formed as cutters or with the inner edge sharpened. The member 2 has handles or eyes 5 for suitable engagement, as by theindex and large finger of the operator. The members are united by pin-and-slot connection, the slot being shown at 6, Fig. 7, in member 2. The member 1 has a guide or lug 7 and also a stem 8, with head 9. The slot 6 may be described as keyhole-shaped or with an enlargement. To assemble the members, the head 9 is passed through the enlargement of slot 6, and one of the members being then moved or transposed longitudinally to cause the head 9 to look across the narrow part of slot 6 such members are kept from falling apart. The slot-and-pin connection 6 and 8 permits the members to slide with respect to one another, or one member to slide on or along the other. The members also have the pin-and-slot connection 10 and 11, the pin or stud 10 being shown on member 2, Fig. 7, and the slot or guide 11 in member 1, Fig. 6. The members are sufficiently elastic or springy to allow them to separate to the extent required for lifting or bending member 1 clear of pin 10 when required, as for separating the members.

A fork 12 has a comparatively long shank 13 14 16. The shank part 14 is of diminished diameter or thinned, so that in assembling such shank part can be slipped between the suitably-spaced guide-lugs 7, the shank being then run longitudinally to be engaged by said guide 7 and bya suitably-perforated lug 19. After being passed through lug 19 the handle 17, being applied to the shank,'will prevent the fork slipping too far forward or out of lug l9. Said fork also has lugs 15 and 21, for purposes presently explained.

The operation of the device is readily understood. The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the shoulder 24 on member 1, engaging the rear end of member 2, prevents such member 1 sliding along member 2 until the fork 12 has moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3. Such forward sliding of fork 12 causes the lug 15, fixed to the fork, to travel along the incline or face 25, so that the fork 12 in moving forward also moves somewhat away from the cutters or loops 3 and 4 or is given a pitch. Having reached the position shown in Fig. 3, the fork-shank 13 16 continuing to move forward, the lug 21, projecting from such shank through slot 11 in member 1, strikes member 2 to disengage the latter from shoulder 24. The member 1 nowmoves forward with the fork-shank, carrying along its loop 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, or, in other words, effecting the cut. The forward slide of member 1 on member 2 can be suitably limited by the lug 19 being made to strike theend of member 2, Fig. 4, when the loops 3 4 have been sufficiently separated. Such stoppage by lug 19 against member 2 can also be made to prevent the head'9 of the pin or lug 8 reaching the enlargement of slot 6, so that the members will not accidentally separate. The handle 17 can swivel and is detachable from the fork-shank. This shank at 16, Fig. 5, is shown with a stem 26 27, of which the portion 26 is plain and the portion 27 threaded. The handle 17 has a perforation 28 29, of which the portion 28 is plain and the portion 29 threaded. By screwing or running the handle 17 sufficiently far toward the shank end 16 the thread part 29 will lie about the plain part 26 and the plain part 28 will lie about the thread part 27. The handle 17 can now swivel in one direction or another without unscrewing or binding, the threads 27 and 29 being disengaged from one another. 13y drawing the handle 17 away from shank end or shoulder 16 and rotating in the proper direction, the threads 27 and coming into engagement, the handle unscrews. lVhen detached, the handle can be thoroughly cleaned or washed, and the forkshank is then also free to be run or slipped out of lug 19 and guide 7. The member 2 then having its lug 10 sprung out of slot 11, the members 1 and 2 can be separated by the stem head 9 being slipped out through the enlargement of slot 6. The incline is shown as depressed in member 1, the lug 15 running in this depression guiding the fork 12. In its forward thrust the fork, when bringing its handle 17 against lug 19, will cause the member 1 to move with the fork. The return motion of the fork is limited by the rear edge of lug 21 striking the rear closing face of slot 11. The return movement of the members from the position shown in Fig. Lto that shown in Fig. 1 can be properly limited or arrested by the stud S striking the boundary or rear end of slot 6; also, the member 1, carrying the forward end of slot 11 against pin 10, can be made to effect stopping. The return movement of the fork is limited by the lug 21 striking the rear end of slot 11.

In practice it is of advantage to form or cast lugs 15 and 21 in one piece with shank 13 16, since thereby these parts are secure against loss and any attachment or perforation of the tively having plain and threaded portions,

said threaded portions being adapted to screw past one another to leave the handle free to swivel on the fork substantially as described.

2. A tonsilotome comprising members slidable with respect to one another, one of the members being slotted and having a shoulder for engaging the other member, and a fork having a lug extended through the slot for disengaging the shoulder substantially as described.

3. A tonsilotome comprising cutter members slidable with respect to one another, one of the members having a depressed incline, and a fork having a lug extended into the depression for guiding the fork and givin g pitch thereto substantially as described.

4. A tonsilotome comprising cutter members slidable one upon the other, one of the membershavinga shoulder and a lug adapted to alternately engage the end of the other member, and a fork movably mounted on the shouldered member and provided with a beveled lug adapted to engage the end of the other member and disengage it from the said shoulder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV F. RICHTER. \Vitnesses:

W. O. I'IAUFF, E. F. KAs'rnNHUnEn. 

